Thread Drift

[maillotpois]

Yeah, sounds like your ferry ride was wild. There are a lot of ferries in San Francisco....

[betagirl]

I vote nay, but I'm a noob to the tri secret club

Lise, your neice is too cute.

Knotted, what kinda bike you gettin'?

I think I may have scored some wheels from a guy in my club. He has a set he's selling, though I'm not sure about price yet. His girlfriend goes to my school, a year behind me. So I should get *some* sort of cool-by-association discount don't ya think?

Time to go do some reading out on the porch. Another beautiful day here in Chicago. My reading won't be as beautiful (neuroanatomy). Somebody wake me up in an hour

[Lise]

Neuroanatomy. Hmmm. If you slept with your head on the book, would that help?

I rode the entire lakefront path today! It was predicted to be a chilly, rainy day, and turned out to be a gorgeous sunny day, so I carped the diem and headed out on the bike. I had done nothing athletic except play my usual volleyball for 9 days straight. I was so tired that the thought of running or even biking felt beyond me. Then Sunday I rode 10 miles, yesterday I did an intense cardio/weights workout, and I woke up feeling strong and excited about riding. Packed a PB&J, clif bloks, gatorade, and water, and took off. Started with the short branch, going north. Felt good, and the wind was from the NE, so I knew I could have a great long ride south. I rode as hard as I wanted to -- sometimes hammering, sometimes cruising. Stopped at a couple of bathrooms along the way, stopped at 30 miles and ate my PBJ. Even the ride back up north wasn't too bad.

This city is so beautiful. I hope some of you will come visit and ride the path with me. The views of the lake and the city are breathtaking, and there are some fun architectural finds along the way.

Total distance: 40 miles. As I realized I was going to do the entire path for the first time, I grinned and thought, "yeah, well, beta does this for a mid-day snack" It's so good to feel strong again. I was a good little triathlete thread drifter and came home and sat in a cooooold bath for my legs, drank my Endurox, stretched, put on Icy Hot.

TD: Nobody's Invited, Everybody's Welcome.

[Lise]

...this is what I looked like 6 years ago. Depressed, in pain often, inactive, 30# heavier, on two antidepressant meds. None of this is true anymore. I am so glad that my niece and nephew won't even remember "that" Aunt Lise.

[maillotpois]

Wow, Lise - what a contrast! I have to mention, don't know why I didn't say this before - you look fantastic in that picture with your niece.

[betagirl]

Hey Lise, I know you were asking about LBS's in Oak Park earlier. What's up with LBS people and 'tudes? I went to one, and the lady looked at me cross eyed when I started asking about brakes and such for a fixed gear. She instead tried to sell me a bike. So I went over to this no frills shop that sort of intimidated me before and told the guy what I was trying to do with my old bike. I spent about 10 minutes talking with him and learned that my simple conversion would not be so simple with the frame I had. The crank was this huge 1 piece, and the hole is 5.5 cm. Basically I'd require a lot of custom parts to convert this bike. He tried to talk me into just using the parts I have, but it's just too old and too heavy. I'll keep the handlebars I tried to put my 700cm wheels on the frame and they were too big. I could go to 650's I suppose. But apparently the style of crank I'd need uses different sized pedal bolts. And the brakes are some weird type. While the nostalgia factor of using my old frame is nice, I'd be looking to spend way more than I'd want. So the guy with the wheels is looking to sell a used Bianchi pista for $300. It needs a bottom bracket, chain, and some brakes. So I'm going to take a look at that puppy in a few hours.

At least I didn't buy a bunch of parts yet. Alas, I haven't done any reading either. I have a serious motivation problem

[DebW]

Beta, I post in your thread again under Bike Maintenance. Sheldon Brown sells an adapter shell for that bb. You'd probably need 26 inch rims, which are now the MTB standard, but hub width will be different. You can cut down an axle to fit. Though you really might be better off starting fresh. American children's bikes were their own heavy but unbreakable beasts, not meant to be interchangeable with high end adult bike parts.

[betagirl]

Thanks Deb. I think I'm following you around the board The frame is great quality, but yeah too much work for what it's worth to me. I appreciate the info.

Anyone want a used bike frame?

[DrBee]

I think we need a smiley for those moments when you spit your drink onto the monitor...MP

[maillotpois]

Yeah! The "drink shooting out nose" avatar.

[DrBee]

Wow Lise - you have changed! BTW - you do look fantastic in the most recent pic with your neice! What a transformation - of mind and body. It's amazing what a few years, many miles on the bike, and motivation will do, isn't it? Wow!

[betagirl]

Will this work?

[maillotpois]

Nice one, Beta!

[Lise]

beta! You're like our own little search engine, finding cool (and markedly wierd) stuff out there on the internet! Sorry the old bike isn't working out the way you'd hoped. My queries about LBS in OP were for the benefit of my BIL. He was going to get a bike and ride with the kids this summer. (Father of the aforepictured Maya, Warrior Princess). I ended up just giving him some $$ for his birthday to spend at an LBS. I asked my sister about it the other day. She said they'd done almost no biking this summer--the kids just had no interest. As KnottedYet can attest, these things come more quickly to some kids than to others. They are active kids, just doing things other than riding bikes.

I read an article on Medscape today about sudden cardiac death in athletes, and screening of older athletes. No mention at all of PVCs, which backs up my doc's assertion that they're benign. Sudden cardiac death is rare in women athletes who do not have underlying heart disease. Good to know.

About the pictures--it's important for me to remember the changes. I get discouraged sometimes, and forget how transformed my life is. It was disheartening to be so worn out after the Oly tri on 8/20. Of course it doesn't help that I work a couple of night shifts a week. But when I look at it objectively, it's amazing. The spiritual/mental/physical changes. And I did, after all, get out and ride 40 miles today.

As I rode today, I was thinking about Mary, who posts in Open, and has ridden something like 17 centuries on her Comfort bike this summer. Her story's incredible. And somebody's (I forget who) brother, who lost half his body weight and is now a lean bike racer. Is it any wonder I love my bike?

[DrBee]

Nice Beta - I like it!

Meeting is over for the day. Now on to dinner. I was going to hit the fitness room for some spinning (those bikes are awful), but had a delightful conversation with Mr. Fish and FishJr instead. Way better! FishJr made up a song on the spot about missing me. It was so cute! The in-laws are there to start the transporting of lumber to LA. The movers won't take it. They were amazed at the song. It was a long one, too.

Poor Mr. Fish - he's had a tough time since I've been gone. Fishfry inserted a bead into his nose, the cat ate spaghetti (he thinks he's garfield) and threw up all over the bed, one of Mr. Fish's friends was just diagnosed with MS, and so on. Today was much better apparently. That's a good thing!

Well - I'm heading somewhere for dinner. I'm not sure where, but somewhere good I'm sure.